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Toadman005 t1_iuioj8b wrote

Reply to comment by CMelody in The Thing (1982) -- the scene with MaReady checking on Blair in the cabin by darthvirgin

To say nothing of it filling in the unknown, and what it presented was never going to be as terrifying as our imaginations.

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CMelody t1_iuiszfu wrote

I just watched a doc about the making of Jaws (there are a few, all worth a watch) where Spielberg admitted that the failure of the mechanical shark (and having to find creative ways to film the attacks) was a blessing in disguise. As you said, rarely seeing the monster can be so much more terrifying.

I think the same can be said of gore. There are people who think Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Halloween are total bloodfests, when really they aren’t. The killing mostly occurs out of frame, and the gore shown is quite tame compared to Friday the 13th or Hostel. What we imagined Leatherface and Michael Myers would do to their victims was scarier.

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Toadman005 t1_iuitqjx wrote

Agreed 100%. Less is always more. Something seemingly lost on film makers today.

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CMelody t1_iuix0vr wrote

I have seen so many horror films, love the genre but it is tough to unnerve me.

Imagine my surprise when Paranormal Activity freaked me the hell out. It is really kind of funny how effective it was considering it boils down to two people hearing strange noises in their house. Bloodless, never saw the entity, it was almost entirely suspense. Not getting a complete explanation of what was happening upped the creep factor.

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Toadman005 t1_iuizdp8 wrote

That was the last real "scary" experience I had in theaters. God I loved that movie. At 2 am the next night though....not so much.

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CMelody t1_iuj6r3b wrote

Been there. Lying awake in bed hearing strange creaks downstairs, being too chicken to investigate.

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Toadman005 t1_iujahq9 wrote

Hell yes, the mind can really start to play tricks....gets the heart beating so hard, you swear the bed is shaking, and it's not you causing it...

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CMelody t1_iujcv79 wrote

I remember reading Salem’s Lot as a kid, was so into it I stayed up until it was several hours past my bed time to finish it. I realized as I was groggy half dreaming that I’d left the light on in my closet with the door cracked open. I kept dreaming/hallucinating that a vampire was inside slowly opening the door. I was scaring myself so much I pulled my gothy cross earrings out of my jewelry box and put them on to protect myself if I fell asleep.

Felt so dumb the next morning when I woke up with the clunky earrings poking me.

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